Closure cap



March 21, 1967 J, EDWARDS ETAL 3,31@,1@2

CLOSURE CAP Filed Nov. 19, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 -H MA )6 a M FIG. 5 7

; M M i INVENTORS Alberz Z Edwards BY Mkhde?! l/T Haaly A TTGR/VE) arch 21, 196'? A. .J. EDWARDS ETAE... CLOSURE CAP Filed Nov. 19, 1964 United States Patent 3,310,192 CLOSURE CAP Albert .1. Edwards, Baldwin, N.Y., and Michael J. Heaiy,

New Haven, Conn., assignors to Micaldon C0rp., Baldwin, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 19, 1964, Ser. No. 414,500 13 Claims. (Cl. 215-46) Thisis a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 397,416, filed September 18, 1964, and now abandoned. This invention relates to closure caps for containers such as bottles, jars and the like, and to a method of making the same.

It has long been the desire of manufacturers as well as suppliers and users of containers to provide or have a closure cap that is capable of being removed by the application of a light manual force or pressure. A problem facing the industry has been one of providing a cap that can be removed with the effortless forces and ease normally exerted by the fingers of a hand, and yet provide a closure cap that will securely engage the open neck of a container to retain for long periods therein pressurized liquids as soda, beer, and the like in a fresh and uncontaminated condition. Attempts at providing similar caps are disclosed in United States Letters Patent to Amato et al., 3,118,556, Hutaff, 2,697,532 and Coon, 2,231,055.

It is the desideratum of this invention to provide a simple closure cap that can be applied to containers in the same manner as caps used heretofore. In this connection, an object of the invention is to provide a unitary closure cap of composite construction that may be applied to the containers by the same machinery heretofore employed to apply crown bottle caps to bottles.

A novel feature of the invention resides in the unique construction of the composite unitary cap which, when applied to a container, is substantially no different than prior known bottle crown caps, thereby enabling the same to be applied by the same machinery as that which presently applies crown caps to bottles and other containers of like construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a composite unitary closure cap that is inexpensive and as simple in construction as prior known crown caps, that is capable of retaining materials within their containers in the same pressure, air-tight manner as prior known crown caps, yet one that may be removed manually, simply, easily and effortlessly by an adult or child.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a unitary closure cap of composite construction which enables the separation of one of the parts of the composite cap from the other and then the subsequent opening of the container by the removal of another part of the composite cap that continues to retain the material air-tightly closed withinthe container until it is released by the application of finger pressure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bottle cap that by its very features and appearances alone makes the user aware of the obvious manner of opening the cap, thereby obviating the need for complicated instructions and the application of mechanical skills and aptitudes.

Other and further objects of this invention reside in the structures and arrangements hereinafter more fully "ice described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

'FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank of one cap element of the composite unitary closure cap,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a blank of another cap element of the composite unitary closure cap,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top view of the composite unitary closure cap constructed according to the teaching of the invention,

FIG. 4 is a side view. of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial cross-section of FIG. 3 taken along lines 33,

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cap applied to a bottle top,

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-section of FIG. 6 taken along lines 7-7,

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the removal of the outer cap element, and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the removal of the inner cap element.

Referring now to the drawings and, in particular, to FIG. 1 wherein there is shown the development of a blank generally identified by the numeral 10 from which a closure cap element is to be formed. For convenience of understanding and explanation of the invention, the invention will be related to a closure cap of the crown type for use about the neck of a bottle. The blank 10 may be formed of a thin sheet of aluminum of the type used for crown caps that is usually electroplated with a surface coating of tin. The present invention teaches a unitary or singular cap construction composed of a plurality of individual cap elements each of which may be thinner in gauge than that of the normal crown.

The blank 10 is substantially circular in shape and is provided with an arcuate cutout that is adapted to subsequently provide a finger tear tab 12. The cutout forms a part of and interrupts a tearing or separating line '14.

formed by perforations or indentations that defines a weakened portion extending arcuately from one end of the tab 12 to approximately diametrically opposite the center of the tab 12. The opposite end of the tab 12 is connected with a continuation 16, of the tear or separating line 14. The arcuate distance between the continuation 1'6 and the termination of the opposite end of the tear line 14 extends for more than 180 of are along the surface of the blank 10 and for at least onehalf the arcuate distance about the blank 10 for a purpose to be described.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the blank thereshown is generally identified by the numeral 18. The blank 18 may be formed of substantially the same material and gauge thickness as the blank 10 described above. Like the blank 10, the blank 18 is also substantially circular in shape. A tear or separating line 20 formed by perforations or indentations, defined on the blank 18 to weaken the same therealong, extends in a directionthat is substantially chordally of the blank spaced slightly from the center or diameter of the blank. The weakening line 20 thus divides the blank 18 into two segments, one of which is smaller than the other.

The blanks 11) and 18 are adapted to be formed into substantially identically shaped cap elements. In this connection, the blanks 1t) and 18 are adapted to be shaped in the form of a crown cap as shown in the remaining figures of the drawing. Each crown cap, formed from the blanks and 18, is then nested together with the other and combined to make a cap that is unitary in construction. The unitary cap comprises each of the two cap elements 10 and 18 nested together and in perfect fitting relationship within each other. For convenience of description, the composite unitary closure cap is hereafter generally identified by the numeral 22.

The blanks 10 and 18 are assembled so that the blank 10 will form the outer nesting cap element whereas the blank 18 will form the nesting inner cap element both of Which when so combined, result in the composite unitary cap structure 22. When the cap element blanks 18 and 18 are positioned one over the other, the weakened line of the blank 18 is located facing the finger tear tab 12 of the blank 18 as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 6. That is to say, the chordally directed weakened tear line 20 is directed substantially normal to the length of the arcuate tear line 14 which will subsequently serve to separate a peripheral flange portion of the blank 10 from the remainder thereof.

When the blank 18 is positioned over the blank 18, they may be secured and retained together to prevent their relative separation. This retention may be accomplished by the application of an adhesive (not shown) between the two touching adjacent surfaces of the blanks to bond the same together or secure them from relative displacement in any other convenient manner. However, in practice, it will be found that if both blanks 10 and 18 are stamped simultaneously from their respective sets of material, which had been previously positioned one on top of the other, and then the stamped blanks are simultaneously formed to the shape of the composite cap structure 22 as hereafter described, the cap elements will hold to each other and be connected together without the need for adhesives or other bonding materials. This connection is made more secure and is enhanced after the corrugated skirt is formed on each cap element 10 and 18.

The two cap blanks 10 and 18 are then shaped as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 so that each blank assumes its individual cap element form 10 and 18, that combined, form the composite unitary cap 22. Each cap element 18 and 18 is shaped to comprise a body 24 that has a fiat or planar surface adapted to fit over the open end of a bottle neck 26 as shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 inclusive. The bottle neck 26 is provided with a peripheral bead 28 that extends about the complete circumference of the open end of the neck. The unitary cap 22 is adapted to have its composite, unitary surface 24 placed in covering relationship with the open end of the bottle neck 26 and to have a downwardly turned flange 38 seated about the bead 28.

Thus, each cap element 18 and 18 is provided with a downturned flange that extends about the full periphery of and fully circumscribes the body surface 24. The flange 30 terminates in its downward extension in an integral corrugated skirt 32. The corrugated skirt 32 of each cap element 10 and 18 is uninterrupted and like the flange 30 of which it forms an extending part, it too, extends fully about the periphery of the cap element and circumscribes the surface 24. Thus, each inner and outer cap element 18 and 10 has a full peripheral flange 3t and a full peripheral corrugated skirt 32. The inner cap element 18 nests within the outer cap element 10 and the corrugations of each skirt 32 perfectly interfits snugly with the other to connect the cap elements together and to form the double thick unitary cap 22.

The body surface 24 of each cap element 10 and 18 and the downward turned flange 30, as well as the extending corrugated skirt 32 of each cap element 10 and 18, is of exactly the same form and configuration as present known crown bottle caps. The unitary composite cap structure 22 resulting from the joined independent cap 1 elements 18 and 18 is substantially of the same thickness as present known crown bottle caps since the total thickness of each of the independent cap elements 10 anl 18 combined may be made to approximate the thickness of the material employed in crown type bottle caps.

The composite unitary cap 22 may be applied to the open neck 26 of any container to engage about the peripheral bead 28 thereof. As seen in the illustration of the cap construction 22 shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, when the corrugated skirt 32 and flange 38 are bent and formed on each of the cap elements 10 and 18, the cutout for the tab 12 and the line 14, 16 also may be made on the outer or exposed surface of the cap element 10. In consequence, during the bending and formation of the skirt 32 and flange 30, the finger tear tab 12 moves away from the body 24 of the outer cap element 18 to project slightly above the surface of the body and at an angle away from and above the top of the flange 30. The skirt 32 of the composite unitary cap 22 flares downward and outward.

coincidentally, it will be found that in the practice of the invention, it is advantageous to apply the line 20 to the inner exposed surface of the cap 18 while the blank is being worked upon to form it into its desired cap shape. Thus, the completed unitary composite cap 22 may be formed in a single blanking and forming operation during which the cap blanks 10 and 18 each are simultaneously stamped in overlying relationship from their respective sheets of material and then formed together as a unit to result in the composite cap structure 22. It will be found convenient to provide the cutout for the tab 12, the lines 14 and 16 and the line 20 on the respective blanks or cap elements 10 and 18 sometime between the steps of stamping the blanks and forming the completed composite cap structure 22.

When the unitary cap 22 is applied over the head 28 of the neck 26 of a container in the manner as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the corrugated skirt 32 is forced radially inward about the bead to engage against and beneath the bead 28 at a bight 34 formed thereabout. This retains the cap 22 snugly and air-tightly about the neck 26 of the container. In the event the composite unitary cap 22 is to be used as a closure for liquids packed under pressure, as soda, beer and the like, the cap may include a cork or other suitable seal 36 that seats against the open end of the neck 26 and is clamped between the inner part 18 of the closure cap 22 and the upper end of the bead 28. The double thickness of the composite unitary cap 22 is sufficiently strong to engage the head 28 of the neck 26 to hold the pressurized fluid therein in the same manner as does any standard crown cap.

In order to remove the cap 22 from the bottle neck 26 after the same is positioned thereon as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the user merely inserts his finger nail behind the upstanding finger tear tab 12 as shown in FIG. 7. A slight tugging or pulling finger force is then applied to the tab 12 by the finger nail in a downward direction away from the flange 30 of the cap 22 in the direction of the arrow 38. The force exerted in the direction of the arrow 38 causes the relatively thin gauge metal of the outer part 10 of the cap 22 to tear along the tear line 16. This separates one end 16 of the finger tear tab 12 from the remaining portion of the flange 30 of the outer cap element 10. Thereafter, the separated end of the tab 12 may be more firmly grasped between the thumb and forefinger and pulled outward away from the bottle neck 26 in the direction of the arrow 40, as shown in FIG. 7, and then unwinding counter-clockwise about the periphery of the composite unitary cap structure 22 in the direction of the arrow 42 as shown in FIG. 8 along the tear line 14.

The continuation of the tear line 14 extending about the flange 30 of the outer cap element 10 enables the torn peripheral flange portion to be bent away and separated from the remaining peripheral portion of the flange of the cap element 10 as shown in FIG. 8. The extent of the tear line-14, from one end 16 to its other end positioned substantially diametrically opposite the center of the tear tab 12 as seen in FIG. 1, extends for more than half the distance of the flange or for a distance sufiicient in length to enable the cap element to be lifted free. It can now be pulled off the top in the'direction of the opposite side of the remaining cap element 18, as illustrated in FIG. 8, that remains secured at its bight 34 about the bead 28 of the neck 26.

The removal of the part 10 of the cap 22 in the manner described now leaves only one-half of the composite unitary cap structure 22 engaged about the bead of the neck 26. It is now possible to remove the cap element 18 by the application of light finger pressure. The inner cap 18 is lifted free of the neck of the container in the manner shown in FIG. 9. There, the thumb (not shown) is engaged under the corrugated skirt 32 of the inner cap 18 at approximately the center of the smaller arc of the flange 30 of the smaller segment defined by the chordally directed weakened line 20.

When the cap blank 18 was shaped, its circumferential edge was bent down to form the flange 30 and its integral skirt 32. In consequence, the extreme ends of the tear or separating line 20 remained therein. In order to reduce the finger pressure necessary to remove the cap element 18, the extreme ends of the line 20 may be perforated or precut so that they are separated initially and, therefore, need not be torn manually subsequently. Now, when upward pressure is applied to the thumb to lift the bight 34 off and free of the bead 28 of the neck, the remainder of the skirt flange tears and separates easily and progressively inward from the ends of the line 20 that are now directed downward along the corrugations of the skirt 32 of the inner cap element 18. Thus, a peripheral flange portion of the cap element 18 may be torn or separated and displaced relative to another portion of the flange.

The weakened line 20 that remains extended across the top or body 24 of the inner cap element 18 now permits the smaller segment of the cap element to be lifted, displaced and bent upward along such line. Because of the thin gauge of the metal of the cap element 18 and the presence of the weakened line 20, nothing more than light finger pressure is required to accomplish the aforedescribed lifting movement and displacement. The cap element 18 is now completely released from engagement with the head 28 along the peripheral portion of the flange bordering the smaller segment. The remainder of the cap element 18 engaged with the bead 28 at its remaining flange portion, although extending for more than one-half the periphery of the corrugated skirt, exerts very slight engaging and retaining force against the bead. Hence, it is an easy matter now to lift or pull the cap element 18 free of its engagement with the bead 28 to completely remove it from the neck 26 of the bottle.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

We claim:

1. A composite unitary cap to be secured about the open neck of a container having a peripheral securing head, said cap including a plurality of individual and separable like cap elements nested within each other, each individual cap element having a complete top surface that is adapted to cover the open neck of a container and having a flange depending from and circumscribing the full periphery of said surface to extend about the full periphery of the securing bead of the container, said flange of each of said cap elements having one portion thereof separable from another portion thereof, and separation means on each cap element enabling the separation of said one portion from the other portion in response to a manual force applied thereto.

2. A composite cap as in claim 1, said separation means being formed on the outer surface of the outer one of said nested cap elements and on the inner surface of the inner one of said nested cap elements.

3. A composite unitary cap as in claim 1, means between each of said plurality of cap elements to retain the same nested.

4. A composite cap as in claim 1, said one portion of one of said cap elements being separable from the other portion on said one cap element about approximately one-half the periphery of the flange thereof.

5. A composite cap as in claim 1, said one portion of one of said cap elements being separable from the other portion of said one cap element at points thereon spaced less than one-half the distance about the periphery of the flange thereof.

6. A unitary closure cap for the open neck of a container comprising first and second cap elements, said first cap element having a body, a flange depending at an angle downward from and circumscribing the full periphery of said body, and means on said first cap element to weaken the same therealong to enable the manual separation of less than one-half of a peripheral portion of said flange from another portion thereof; said second cap element having a body, a flange depending at an angle downward from and circumscribing the full periphery of said body, separating means on said second cap element to weaken said second cap to enable the manual separation of substantially one-half of the peripheral portion of said flange from another portion thereof, and one of said first and second cap elements being nested within and connected with the other to form a unitary closure cap having the combined thickness of said first and second cap elements to close the open neck of a container.

7. A unitary closure cap as in claim 6, said weakening means on said first cap element being on the inner surface of said unitary closure cap and said separating means on said second cap element being on the outer surface of said unitary closure cap, said weakening and separating means being provided on said respective first and second cap elements between the blanking of said cap elements and the formation of said unitary closure cap.

8. A closure cap as in claim 7, said first cap element being nested within said second cap element.

9. A closure cap as in claim 7, said weakening means on said first cap element being directed along a line dividing said body and said flange thereof into separate portions and along which the same will bend when a manual force is applied to one of said portions.

10. A closure cap as in claim 9, said body being circularly shaped, said weakening means being directed chordally along said body substantially normal to said separate peripheral flange portion of said second cap element.

11. A closure cap having, in combination, inner and outer circular cap elements nested one within the other to form a unitary cap, each cap element having a body and a circular flange depending downward therefrom and extending about the full periphery thereof, said cap elements being connected together to form said unitary cap, separating means on said outer cap defining a single finger engageable tab thereon and a weakened portion extending from said tab about a portion of the periphery of said flange whereby finger pressure exerted on said tab in a direction away from said body will separate said tab and the peripheral portion of said flange along said separating means from said body, and separating means formed on said inner cap to enable spaced portions along the periphery of said flange thereof to be separated from other portions thereof.

12. A closure cap as in claim 11, said separating means on said outer cap extending about at least 180 of the full periphery of said flange thereof.

13. A closure cap as in claim 11, said separating means on said inner cap defining a segment on said body thereof along which the same will bend in response to a manual force thereon and one of said peripheral portions along said flange to be separated from other portions thereof extending for a distance of less than 180 thereabout.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

O R. PESHOCK, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A COMPOSITE UNITARY CAP TO BE SECURED ABOUT THE OPEN NECK OF A CONTAINER HAVING A PERIPHERAL SECURING BEAD, SAID CAP INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL AND SEPARABLE LIKE CAP ELEMENTS NESTED WITHIN EACH OTHER, EACH INDIVIDUAL CAP ELEMENT HAVING A COMPLETE TOP SURFACE THAT IS ADAPTED TO COVER THE OPEN NECK OF A CONTAINER AND HAVING A FLANGE DEPENDING FROM AND CIRCUMSCRIBING THE FULL PERIPHERY OF SAID SURFACE TO EXTEND ABOUT THE FULL PERIPHERY OF THE SECURING BEAD OF THE CONTAINER, SAID FLANGE OF EACH OF SAID CAP ELEMENTS HAVING ONE PORTION THEREOF SEPARABLE FROM ANOTHER PORTION THEREOF, AND 